Legacy of the Remembered

6. Breach

There, in the distance, Xuun could see the castle housing the treasure. Contrary to popular belief, Ehvera was not surrounded by a thick wall to keep people out. Instead, they were simple about their isolation. Where most cities and towns centered around Janheim, border cities took note of the coming and going of travelers. People could enter as much as they please; tourism proved a booming industry, after all. The citizenship of a person only mattered once they attempted to own land. For Xuun's plans, a stay at an inn would be just fine. While the Unity Festival was quite an important event, he could find a place willing to house him during the celebration as long as he offered to pay just enough and knew the right people.

This was not the first time Xuun had snuck into Ehvera.

While inns and taverns did not usually ask for proof of citizenship, during sensitive festivals they were stricter about who could stay where. Only Ehverians were allowed within the kingdom during the Unity Festival.

This was not a setback to Xuun. He could afford the secrecy of his stay.

A couple days prior they had passed into the kingdom through a town known as Rakifuhr. That city in particular had been suspicious of entry due to its position near Panjuun. It was fortunate for Xuun and Meirr that their passing took place early in the day. They had no desire to stay in the town longer than necessary. Yet, at the same time, moving on too quickly would bring attention to their arrival and departure. Their pace had to be that of a natural passerby.

Meirr rode up beside him, gaze focused on the distant mountains and small markets and homes spread out before the pair. "So, this is Ehvera." Her tone suggested she was unimpressed, but Xuun saw the look of awe in her eyes.

"Indeed. A magnificent kingdom, but too proud for its own good. Their arrogance will be their downfall, but that will come later." He pulled on the reigns of his horse, moving forward in a steady gallop towards the central mass of the kingdom.

Watchtowers were spread throughout the nation. They proved ominous, dark and tall, guardsmen invisible, yet watchful. Their duty demanded attention focused on suspicious folk, but otherwise they were no trouble to Xuun. Perhaps a soldier found him suspicious, but he wore nothing to associate him with Panjuun, or otherwise give his person away. With only one companion, Xuun felt comparable to a messenger, simply riding from one area to another. Even so, any guards would be hard pressed to find him once Xuun had integrated into the populated areas.

The outer reaches of Central Ehvera consisted of smaller neighborhoods and markets. As they rode in, the land became more and more crowded. Ehverians not only liked to live in Janheim, but close to their castle; most of the population housed themselves near the outer castle gates. For Xuun's purposes, there was no reason to get that close to the fortress. It would be easier to find less wary landlords farther out. Nobles lived between the outer and inner castle gates, their own little ring around the main structure. Most of the citizens favored the southern side of the castle, the land most habitable there. While the kingdom was not pressed into the mountains, people did not like living so close. They feared natural disasters that may occur, though they seldom faced one.

The Panjunnese duo rode for the entire day, making a safe distance into the kingdom. They were still within the outer reaches, but not too close to the watchtowers. The town, Sikkard, was average in size, a common place for travelers to enjoy due to its distance from Janheim. Even the tourists that did make it into Ehvera put themselves at a distance from the capital. If the citizens behaved warily back here, further in it could only be worse.